Mythic Zodiac

A Myth for Virgo

The Sun will move into Virgo on August 23 – HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIRGO

Virgos can suffer from remorse because they can see all the work that has piled up that they haven’t been able to get to yet.  They can also suffer from guilt for what they haven’t accomplished in the past.  It doesn’t sound like they have much fun.  They are the workers of the zodiac and there is always a chance of burn out with these sensitive souls.

Virgo has been called picky and critical for far too long. Well, here's where it ends. This sign's certainly into details -- there's no doubt about that. But that doesn't mean that these idealistic, humble folks don't care about others; in fact, it really means that they care so much about helping everyone look, sound and be their best that they're willing to risk coming off as 'picky' or 'critical' to do it -- which is quite a generous sacrifice.

Truth be told, however, Virgo's good at sacrifice, and at making lemonade out of lemons. These extremely tender hearts are always willing to help, and their sharp focus allows them to take charge of even the toughest situation. So if you're a Virgo yourself, you know that when you're that good at grasping particulars, it's quite natural to see flaws -- hence that reputation for being nitpicky. But if it weren't for you, the rest of us would miss the trees for the forest, so don't ever let anyone put you down for your keen eye! We all need troubleshooters in our lives, people who are able to see the potential problems in a situation before they develop -- and that's definitely Virgo. So get out there and find one of these meticulous folks; enjoy a lesson in careful observation and tell your pal that their ability to appreciate minutiae really is precious.

When it comes to relationships, Virgo is as devoted as a sign can possibly be. These sincere souls are willing to do whatever it takes, whenever it's needed, to let their beloveds know just how dear they are. And if you're close to a Virgo, you can attest to the fact that they're the proud bearer of one of the keenest wits in the entire zodiac, thanks to that sharp eye and those quick, accurate comments. As a partner, this sign's as faithful as they come -- like all the earth signs. (Don't forget: Being earthy, after all, means that Virgo was given the gift of fully appreciating the sense of touch and the importance of closeness.) So don't hesitate to reach out and touch a Virgo you know and love -- and let them know how valuable they are to you.

Virgos are usually experts in which supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies to take when you are feeling sick.  They are great healers, not in the sense of the Scorpios who are transformational healers; they first purge you of all the negative stuff as in deep therapeutic work.  Instead, Virgos are the sweet helpers who bring you chicken soup and vitamin C.

 Virgo

Earth Element:  Material and concrete experiences

Mutable Mode:  Breaking up forms and distributing energy

Hero Type:  Reluctant hero, introverted style

Archetypes:  The Servant, The Analyst, The Herbalist

 

Myth: Vulcan (Hephaetus)

Vulcan was the son of Zeus and Hera.  He was born lame and unattractive, and was thrown down to earth by Hera. His mother is said to be ashamed of him. He landed near a volcano and  made it into a forge. He started to create things from the earth.  He made thunderbolts for Zeus and a girdle for Aphrodite. To get back at his mother, he fashioned a golden throne that trapped her when she sat in it.  No one knew how to free her except Vulcan, so the gods brought him back to heaven.  The only god who worked with his hands and he made a chariot for Apollo.  Aphrodite was so beautiful that Hera was jealous of her, and married her off to Vulcan.  Aphrodite accepted Vulcan because of all the things he made for her.  Aphrodite cheated on him, and he didn't discover this at first.  When he did discover it he forgave her because he understood it was part of her nature. Vulcan was kindly and peace-loving, and as popular on earth as in heaven.  He was patron of handicrafts, the arts, agriculture, and metallurgy.  He made divine things from the material world.  He was the only god that worked.

Virgo Traits:  Virgo individuals are often crippled in some way, and may feel rejected by their parents. They can use their skills to find acceptance from their superiors. Highly skilled and inventive, their work is at the highest levels.  People are attracted to them because of their skills.  They have an understanding of human nature and are kindly, wanting to serve others.

Primary Goal: Meaningful Work

Challenge: Who or What should I serve?

 

Janet Kane

www.mythiczodiac.com

 

The Sun Moves Into Cancer Today

Happy Birthday, Cancers!

You know how we all need to feel like a baby some time and need cuddling and emotional healing? Where do we go for that? -- To the Cancers. And I know all you Cancers out there are saying, “Oh no, but I’m sick of handling all the whiners in the world.” Well, hey, it’s your job. Especially Cancer rising types, as they project out to the world, “come here you poor little thing and I will give you a big hug and lots to eat.” Cancer thinks that food equals love. Cancer is here to be the caretaker. They are wonderful with small children and elders.

Their houses are filled with plants, animals, family photos and dishes from their great-great-grandmother. All of the stuff around them makes them feel warm and cozy. They have nostalgia for the good old days and complain about how much better life was under Eisenhower. It’s great when you visit them to get the home baked cookies, but if you stay too long you can start to suffocate and you will run out the door and Cancer will start to cry. No one cries as easily as Cancer with the exception of Pisces.

Now you may think that Cancer is a weak sign because it is a water sign and rules emotion. But you are wrong. The quality of Cancer is cardinal and all cardinal signs (Aries, Libra, Capricorn) have a dynamic approach to life; they go after what they want even though in the case of Cancer it may not be obvious. Cancer wants to bond with others. They will go after a relationship, but not in a direct way. They take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back. They are subtle, they skirt around you, come at you from different angles. They insinuate, hint, wheedle, cozy up, ingratiate themselves and this behavior can drive an Air Sign (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) totally mad. But then again, maybe we air signs are just too obtuse to pick up the signals. They are way ahead of us in emotional language. While we are trying to figure them out in a rational manner, the Cancer Crab snags us in their big claws and once they have us they won’t let go.
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Their best qualities of Cancer are their emotional sensitively to suffering; their negative side is sulking and moodiness

You have the Cancer archetype if you have the Sun, Moon or the ascendant in Cancer or if you have a stellium (3 or more planets) in Cancer. But remember none of us is a pure zodiac sign; we need to take the other archetypes in our birth chart into consideration.

Each archetype can best be explained by one of the classical myths.
I like the myth of Demeter for Cancer.

Cancer

Water Element: Soulful, emotional experiences

Cardinal Mode: Outgoing, radiant and dynamic energy

Hero Type: Active hero, introverted style

Archetypes: The Mother, The Healer, and The Cook

Cancer Moon: Inner need to Nurture

Cancer Sun: The Search for Emotional Bonding

Cancer Ascendant: Surrounded by Family and Food

Myth: Demeter

Demeter or “earth mother” is the goddess of grain. She is associated with food and fertility. She is mankind’s best friend. She is not flirtatious or wicked, like the other goddesses. Demeter had only one daughter, Persephone, the maiden of spring. Persephone was playing in the fields and reached to pick a narcissus. Suddenly, Hades appeared through a chasm in the earth. He abducted Persephone and brought her to the underground in this black chariot which was driven by coal-black steeds. The hills echoed her cry. Her mother sped over land and sea as she searched for her, but no one would tell Demeter the truth of what happened. Demeter wandered for nine days without eating or sleeping. Finally, Helios the sun, who sees everything, told Demeter what had happened. She was so upset, that the earth became a barren wasteland where nothing would grow, and the people began to starve. Zeus finally realized he had to do something. He sent the gods to Demeter one after another, but she would not listen to any of them. She refused to let the earth bear fruit until she had seen her daughter. She wandered to Eleusis where she met the old crone Baubo, who finally got her to eat by lifting up her dress and doing a lascivious dance. This made Demeter laugh and the earth started to blossom again.

This myth is about the 3 stages of womanhood-- virgin, mother, and crone. Persephone and Demeter were too attached to their roles and refused to grow beyond them. Persephone wanted to stay a little girl forever. Zeus noticed this and told Pluto he could have Persephone for a wife because she was old enough to be married. Persephone became the queen of the underworld. Demeter was hanging on to the mother role and refused to grow into the Crone until she met Baubo who showed her that there was a life for the body beyond the mother role.

Cancer Traits: Cancer types are nurturers. They hold on to emotional bonds. They cannot accept it when loved ones grow away from them. They care more about the family than the world and can be moody and non-rational. They need to develop a broad view of things. When hurt, they often withdraw and refuse to deal with the world, but must learn to allow humor in their lives. In the end, they need to overcome their strong attachment to the past and nurture mankind. A love of family can become a detriment to their progress.

Primary Goal: To nurture themselves and others. They start out caring for babies and then children and then adults and if they follow their true path they end up with a vocation in the healing arts, working with families or with food. We really need Cancers right now to heal the earth.

Challenge: Who or What should I nurture?

 

The Sun moves into Gemini today

Dear Gemini,

Can you keep still long enough to let me wish you a Happy Birthday?

Geminis are explorers of the intellect and are very curious which can get them into trouble. They may think, 'I wonder what it would be like to be married to this person, to live in that country, to join a street gang, to smoke some dope?'

They love to talk and they learn by talking.  Most of the time they don't know what they think until they hear what they say.  They love to share information; their life is about learning and teaching.

Gemini has a bad reputation for being fickle.  The problem stems from the fact that Gemini doesn't like to be stuck and doesn't like difficult situations.  So if there is a problem in a relationship, it seems easier for Gemini to fly away and find a new partner. 

Never ask them to do couples counseling.  Gemini's are bored stiff in therapy; it doesn't move fast enough and they can talk a therapist to death.  Gemini is Peter Pan and he wants to play. He doesn't want to look at his shadow side. Remember Peter Pan got his shadow stuck in a drawer. Gemini selects mates that mentally stimulate them.  But they can get bored easily, so someone who has a 'short tape' could never be married to a Gemini for long. 

Read the myth of Hermes for more explanation of the Gemini type. The Roman's used the Hermes archetype for their god, Mercury. 

If you have Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars and a lot of major aspects to Mercury you share this Archetype.  But remember none of us is a pure zodiac sign,  we need to take the other archetypes in our chart into consideration.

Air Element:  Social and Intellectual Experiences

Mutable Mode:  Breaking up forms and distributing energy

Hero Type:  Flexible hero, Extroverted Style

Archetypes:  The Teacher, The Storyteller, The Journalist, Bugs Bunny

Gemini Moon:  Emotional Need to Communicate

Gemini Sun:  The Search for Variety

Gemini Ascendant:  Surrounded by Books, classes, phones

Here are some brief notes on the myth of Hermes

Zeus had a clandestine affair with Maia,  from which she gave birth to Hermes.  When he was only one day old, Hermes was bored and restless in his cradle, so he got out and began walking around.  He saw a tortoise and talked it into coming into his cave to play.  He killed the tortoise and made a lyre out of its shell, then got bored with the lyre. He decided he wanted milk and figured out what to do.  He put his sandals on backward, so no one could follow his footsteps. Then he stole his brother Apollo’s cattle.  He took three of the cattle and rubbed sticks together to make a fire, and cooked the meat and divided it into twelve portions.  He offered it as a gift to the twelve divinities.

Apollo divined that Hermes had stolen his cattle, but by this time Hermes had hidden the cattle and he was back in his cradle pretending to be asleep. When Zeus and Apollo came to Hermes to accuse him of the theft, Hermes sat up and started blabbing away about how he was only a day old and could never steal cattle, etc. Zeus and Apollo started to laugh and they brought him up to Olympus where he could make all the gods laugh. 

Hermes gave the lyre he made to Apollo who became the god of music.  Zeus used him to go to the underworld and make deals with Hades. He could travel to the heavens to the Gods or to the mortal’s world, but he never had a home of his own.  He is the only deity not assigned a home on Mount Olympus.  Because of his remarkable communication skills, Zeus made him Messenger of the Gods.

Gemini Traits:  Inventive, quick, and precocious, Geminis have a constant need for new experiences.  Born of deceit, they can talk anyone into anything.  They often say one thing, then do another, and are “trickster” figures.  Geminis honor all the Gods and can take gifts away from all the Gods.  Intelligent but evasive, they can talk to anyone, at any level, but others do not know if they are coming or going.  Geminis are restless and move frequently. They are not elitist and move among all classes of people.

They have the ability to take the knowledge of the Gods (spiritual ideas) and communicate them to others in layman’s terms.

Primary Goal: To facilitate communication on all levels. 

Challenge: What should I communicate? Who should I communicate to?

Have fun during this Gemini month

 

Janet Kane

www.mythiczodiac.com